US Opens Backchannel With Houthis Amid Yemen Tensions
What Happened
US officials met representatives of Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis at the US Embassy in Muscat, according to five sources cited by Reuters. Oman reportedly helped arrange the meeting. Houthi representatives said they remained committed to the 2025 US ceasefire and did not intend to attack American vessels.
Key Takeaways
The talks show Washington maintaining direct communication with the Houthis as tensions rise around Yemen and Red Sea shipping. However, the US State Department did not confirm the specific meeting, saying only that freedom of navigation and preventing terrorism remain core US interests.